Tatania
by anngraham
Summary: Halloween finds Dr. Arcane longing for the love he has lost and chance to regain it. Sequel to this story is called Halloween Party.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Character's don't belong to us, they belong to those who created and produced them.  
**  
Notes:** Tragically my co-authour, one of my dearest friends passed away. I will miss her and her incredible writing talent more than I could ever say. This set of four little stories is the last thing we ever completed together and I dedicate it in her memory.

**Tatania  
Part 1**

Anton Arcane sat for a moment, enjoying the peace of the cool, dark cave which lay directly underneath his complex. He had grown increasingly tense throughout the day as various members of his staff got over excited about their plans for the night. It was, he thought, typical of Americans to turn an ancient legend of great occult significance into a children's party.

Arcane respected the occult, he knew too much and had seen too much to doubt the power in ancient wisdoms. Tonight he needed that wisdom. All Hallows Eve, built on the pagan festival of Samhain, whatever it was called it was the night when the dead were free to walk the earth. And tonight he would see his wife again.

He laid out the trappings of the ceremony, traditional stuff, nothing too exotic or hard to find. Really just an aid to focusing his mind so that he could call Tatania to him.

He closed his eyes and forced himself to remember her, recalling all the small details that he had spent more than a year trying to forget. It hurt too much to remember her. It hurt too much to let her go.

If anyone had been interested they would have assumed that he had recovered well from her death. Not that anyone was interested. No, that was unfair, he allowed himself a small, even affectionate smile. Graham cared. His assistant had fussed around him for months, making sure he ate, nagging him to rest. It was largely to put an end to his assistant's remorseless fussing that he had put on this mask of recovery. He went back to work, resumed his interest in those hoards of nameless women who had only ever been a temporary escape from his sense of loss.

But none of it was real, nothing had healed the pain and every day just fuelled his desire to make it stop. He would have joined Tatania long ago were it not for his superstitious fear that they were bound for very different destinations.

He began the ceremony, letting the well practised ritual lift him out of the everyday to a place where he could reach out to his wife. If she could come to him, or if she would. He couldn't lose the fear that he was to blame for her death. Rationally, of course, he blamed General Sunderland for kidnapping her, and less rationally he blamed Alec Holland for not bringing her back. But nothing could absolve his own guilt. He couldn't live with that any longer. And he couldn't live without the only person he had ever loved or who had loved and understood him. He had to believe that this bizarre expression of ancient beliefs would give her back to him, even for just a few more hours.

He finished the last incantation and sat waiting, peering anxiously into the haze of white smoke that was meant to open a gateway for the dead. Arcane waited, deathly still, as the minutes ticked away to midnight. As the moment arrived he leant forward, eyes straining to see any shape in the mist.

Nothing. He continued to hope, continued to focus on the space in front of him.

"Tatania," he whispered, "please, I need you."

He felt the slightest, ice cold, touch on his hand. "Tatania?"

A soft voice whispered in his ear, "Anton? Anton my love?"


	2. Chapter 2

Arcane gasped, his wife's beloved form began to take shape in front of him, ethereal and misty. But she was here. Fully and wholly here with him. He couldn't repress his sudden joyful smile, "Tatania," whispering, voice thick with unshed tears he gazed at her lovely face.

"Oh, Anton," gracefully she stroked a cold hand against his face, "My love, it's so good to see you once more."

"God Tatania," Arcane swallowed, everything he wanted to say to his wife disappearing like so much smoke in her presence, "I've missed you so much. Sometimes I didn't know how I'd survive another second without you by my side."

"I've always been with you Anton," smiling softly, Tatania moved closer to her husband. "You know that."

"It's not the same," vainly trying to grasp her by the hand he could have cried as his fingers kept slipping away, "I need you with me! I need you to make me whole again!"

"Oh Anton," sadly his wife shook her head, "I can't do that for you. Only you can do that."

"No!" Closing his eyes, Arcane jerked away. "No without you!"

"Our time has passed my love," his wife's voice seemed to grow fainter and he looked up panicked, "You need to move on with your life."

"NO!" Grabbing for Tatania he fell to the ground, hot tears sliding down his cheeks, "Please don't leave me. You're all I have."

"Not all you have Anton," Gently she knelt by his side, cold fingers drying the tears on his face, "There is love out there for you Anton, you just have to let in into your heart. You have to let me go." Moving away she began to grew more translucent; Arcane had to force his eyes to focus past his tears. Gaze fixed on her loving smile he felt his heart break anew. He was losing her again!

"You can't leave me so soon; we've had so little time." He cried desperately.

"We've taken different paths, my love. We were parted long ago, long before I died."

"I can't go on alone." raw pain broke in his voice, "I can'!"

"You aren't alone, you already have what you need, you just have to open your eyes to it."

Blinking, he blurted hurriedly, "you have to know, all those women I..."

Tatania smiled softly, "I know they mean nothing. You are looking in the wrong place Anton, open your heart, look around you." Already she was starting to fade.

"Remember I will always love you Anton," the candles flickered and blew out, "Don't be afraid to open your heart, love is waiting for you if only you will see it." Suddenly her form rushed forward, cold, soft mist enveloping him. A sense of peace invaded Arcane's body, he could feel her love for him and it was beautiful. *Goodbye my love,* he dimly heard her whisper in his mind.

"Goodbye," he whispered, heart aching with sadness. Sobbing Arcane grieved once again the loss of his beloved wife. But this time the tears felt healing, he'd finally said goodbye, fully accepting that there was no going back. Time had marched onwards and the Fates, curse them, had other plans for him.

In what could have been hours later, Arcane finally managed to stand up. He was feeling curiously drained, yet lighter than he'd felt in months. The thought of facing another day didn't fill him with the same dread. Looking at his watch he noted it was midnight, the start of a new day. Perhaps he would go check in with that party his employee's were holding. Right now a little human company sounded appealing. Arcane just wished he knew what Tatania had been talking about when she claimed love was waiting for him. Surely no one in this world could love the man he'd become. Could they?


End file.
